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I€™ve noticed in some postings that there is some confusion over the age of consent in Thailand.
Also recently there have been some changes made to the laws in the forum readers home countries that have effect in Thailand
So with Bumpa STIKKA€™s consent I€™ve started this thread.
I will state fairly briefly what the laws are for each country and how - as I see it - they apply to Thailand.
At the end for the lighter readers and as a quick reference I will show a table with the effective ages for Thailand.
Remember I am not a lawyer and all laws are subject to interpretation - some more loosely than others!
The favorite legal comment is; that is a grey area - which translates as; I don€™t know no-one has tried it yet.
Thailand
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand - when you take someone from a bar the bar fine is just that
- they are fined for not being at their place of work.
What happens after that is between you and that other person.
If the police find a falang with a young Thai person you can guarantee that they will assume payment is being made in some way
and therefore the Thai is prostituting themselves.
The age of consent in Thailand is 15 - that applies to male or female - heterosexual or homosexual relations.
That is assuming that NO payment has been made.
The age of consent is 18 when any form of payment is made.
Payment is very loosely defined - it does not have to be money it can be gifts, favours anything.
As the law is written - if you let them have a can of soda out of the minibar that is payment
- if you let them shower in your hotel room that is a favour.
The age at which a Thai can work in a place of entertainment is 20. This law applies to the owner not the customers.
A place of entertainment is a bar or nightclub.
A restaurant or café is not a place of entertainment and can have younger persons working in it.
(This law applies to the owner not the customers. The raids that are publicized in the Thai media usually seem to be
against bars where there are persons under 18 years of age working, or where there is a connection with drugs.)
USA
The age of consent varies state by state but is either 16, 17 or 18.
Prostitution is legal in most of the counties of state of Nevada - it is illegal within the rest of the USA.
The PROTECT act 2003 makes it a federal crime to have illicit sexual conduct with a person under 18.
This; includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18.
Commercial means where payment is made.
UK (It gets messy here so I will do it by country.)
England/Wales
The age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Despite what many believe prostitution is entirely legal in the UK and always has been but most things connected with it
- brothels, pimping etc - are illegal. The minimum age in this case is 18.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 [SOA] means that the above laws can be applied to UK citizens outside the UK.
Scotland
The age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
The laws relating to prostitution are nearly the same as English law but I cannot find a clearly stated age of consent
- I would assume it€™s 18.
The laws relating to homosexual acts between males are subtly different but do not have any real bearing on Thailand.
I can find nothing that specifically states that sexual offences committed outside Scotland can be subjected to,
or prosecuted under Scottish law.
However the SOA 2003 says British Citizens so that should mean all British citizens.
Northern Ireland
Until recently the age of consent was 17 for heterosexual sex and 18 for homosexual sex.
The prostitution laws also had some differences to those of England & Scotland.
Very recently (Feb 2009) the laws of NI. have been brought into line with those of England and Wales.
So consent is 16 and prostitution is 18.
By the same order in council these laws now extend to offences outside NI in the same way as England.
(Hey it€™s not all bad news in the UK - orgies are now legal - technically they weren€™t illegal before but you could be jailed for having one even in private!
Performing oral sex on an animal is still legal. 
)
Australia (Oz is even more messy than the UK so I€™m going to simplify it considerably.)
Simplified the age of consent is 16 for oral sex & m/f vaginal sex in all states except S.Australia and Tasmania where it is 17.
Anal sex is allowed in most states at the same ages except Qld. where it is 18.
I€™m not going to attempt to cover the offshore territories!
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1994 it has been illegal to have sex with someone under 16 outside Australia.
Canada
Age of consent is 16 for oral & m/f vaginal sex in all states.
Age of consent for anal sex is 18 but Ontario and Quebec have declared this unconstitutional.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1997 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside Canada.
New Zealand
Age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1996 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside NZ.
Eire
Age of consent is 17 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1996 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside Eire.
I have not attempted to cover other countries as it is too complicated and English is the only language in which I€™m competent.
If anyone has accurate knowledge of other jurisdictions please feel free to post them.
There is a useful website that gives good - but not always up to date information Interpol
Beware of some of the lists of ages of consent online. Most of them are too simplified and contain mistakes.
Try looking up the Vatican City as a for instance.
If you have any personal questions you can PM me. Otherwise I€™ll try to answer in the thread.
As promised a table which lists the ages as they apply in Thailand
Country from Consent Paid Sex
Thailand 15 18
USA 18 18
UK 16 18
Aus 16 18
Canada 16 18
NZ 16 18
Eire 17 18
RR.
Also recently there have been some changes made to the laws in the forum readers home countries that have effect in Thailand
So with Bumpa STIKKA€™s consent I€™ve started this thread.
I will state fairly briefly what the laws are for each country and how - as I see it - they apply to Thailand.
At the end for the lighter readers and as a quick reference I will show a table with the effective ages for Thailand.
Remember I am not a lawyer and all laws are subject to interpretation - some more loosely than others!
The favorite legal comment is; that is a grey area - which translates as; I don€™t know no-one has tried it yet.
Thailand
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand - when you take someone from a bar the bar fine is just that
- they are fined for not being at their place of work.
What happens after that is between you and that other person.
If the police find a falang with a young Thai person you can guarantee that they will assume payment is being made in some way
and therefore the Thai is prostituting themselves.
The age of consent in Thailand is 15 - that applies to male or female - heterosexual or homosexual relations.
That is assuming that NO payment has been made.
The age of consent is 18 when any form of payment is made.
Payment is very loosely defined - it does not have to be money it can be gifts, favours anything.
As the law is written - if you let them have a can of soda out of the minibar that is payment
- if you let them shower in your hotel room that is a favour.
The age at which a Thai can work in a place of entertainment is 20. This law applies to the owner not the customers.
A place of entertainment is a bar or nightclub.
A restaurant or café is not a place of entertainment and can have younger persons working in it.
(This law applies to the owner not the customers. The raids that are publicized in the Thai media usually seem to be
against bars where there are persons under 18 years of age working, or where there is a connection with drugs.)
USA
The age of consent varies state by state but is either 16, 17 or 18.
Prostitution is legal in most of the counties of state of Nevada - it is illegal within the rest of the USA.
The PROTECT act 2003 makes it a federal crime to have illicit sexual conduct with a person under 18.
This; includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18.
Commercial means where payment is made.
UK (It gets messy here so I will do it by country.)
England/Wales
The age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Despite what many believe prostitution is entirely legal in the UK and always has been but most things connected with it
- brothels, pimping etc - are illegal. The minimum age in this case is 18.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 [SOA] means that the above laws can be applied to UK citizens outside the UK.
Scotland
The age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
The laws relating to prostitution are nearly the same as English law but I cannot find a clearly stated age of consent
- I would assume it€™s 18.
The laws relating to homosexual acts between males are subtly different but do not have any real bearing on Thailand.
I can find nothing that specifically states that sexual offences committed outside Scotland can be subjected to,
or prosecuted under Scottish law.
However the SOA 2003 says British Citizens so that should mean all British citizens.
Northern Ireland
Until recently the age of consent was 17 for heterosexual sex and 18 for homosexual sex.
The prostitution laws also had some differences to those of England & Scotland.
Very recently (Feb 2009) the laws of NI. have been brought into line with those of England and Wales.
So consent is 16 and prostitution is 18.
By the same order in council these laws now extend to offences outside NI in the same way as England.
(Hey it€™s not all bad news in the UK - orgies are now legal - technically they weren€™t illegal before but you could be jailed for having one even in private!
Performing oral sex on an animal is still legal. )Australia (Oz is even more messy than the UK so I€™m going to simplify it considerably.)
Simplified the age of consent is 16 for oral sex & m/f vaginal sex in all states except S.Australia and Tasmania where it is 17.
Anal sex is allowed in most states at the same ages except Qld. where it is 18.
I€™m not going to attempt to cover the offshore territories!
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1994 it has been illegal to have sex with someone under 16 outside Australia.
Canada
Age of consent is 16 for oral & m/f vaginal sex in all states.
Age of consent for anal sex is 18 but Ontario and Quebec have declared this unconstitutional.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1997 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside Canada.
New Zealand
Age of consent is 16 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1996 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside NZ.
Eire
Age of consent is 17 male or female heterosexual or homosexual.
Prostitution is legal and the minimum age is 18. Most things connected with it are illegal.
Since 1996 it has been possible to be prosecuted for sexual offences committed outside Eire.
I have not attempted to cover other countries as it is too complicated and English is the only language in which I€™m competent.
If anyone has accurate knowledge of other jurisdictions please feel free to post them.
There is a useful website that gives good - but not always up to date information Interpol
Beware of some of the lists of ages of consent online. Most of them are too simplified and contain mistakes.
Try looking up the Vatican City as a for instance.
If you have any personal questions you can PM me. Otherwise I€™ll try to answer in the thread.
As promised a table which lists the ages as they apply in Thailand
Country from Consent Paid Sex
Thailand 15 18
USA 18 18
UK 16 18
Aus 16 18
Canada 16 18
NZ 16 18
Eire 17 18
RR.
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